Key case



Nov. 24, 1931. H. WIENER 1,833,507

KEY CASE Filed Nov. 13. 1929 INVENTOR H ARRY WIENER BYj WW ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 24, 1931 PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY WIENER, OF SANTA HONICA, CALIFORNIA KEY CASE Application filed November 13, 1929. Serial No. 406,794.

This invention relates to a key case.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved form of key case in which a plurality of keys may be conveniently mounted in the case and selectively rotated from within the case into operative position. Heretofore a key case has been developed which comprises a pocket, having a suitable cover flap, and which has constructions near the ends of the pocket on which the keys are adapted to be mounted. These keys are capable of being swung out of the pocket into operative position. Such a key case has been found disadvantageous in that it is diflicult to withdraw the keys from the pocket as the pocket only'has an open top.

It is an object of this invention to provide a key case which comprises a back memher, and a front member connected to the back member by connecting means on which the keys are adapted to be mounted. In the improved construction the front member has both sides open, which facilitates withdrawal I of the key or keys, and also their replacement,'as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key case which can be conveniently identified with the owner by means of a name and address card so that in the event that the key case and keys become lost the finder can readily ascertain who is the rightful owner thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved key case in folded or key containing position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the key case in open or expanded position. 7

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 4-4 upon Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved key case comprises a back member 10 formed of flexible material, preferably leather. This back member is shown as being approximately rectangular in form, having rounded corners, although the exact shape of the back member is immaterial. A front member, generally designated at 11, is provided which is approximately equal in length to the distance across to diagonally opposite corners of the back member. This front member is secured in spaced relation to the back member by hollow detachable rivets, generally designated at 12. While the separable fasteners, indicated at 12, are of conventional construction, they will be briefly described. Each fastener comprises a tubular body part 13 which is internally threaded and which has adjacent one end two opposed shoulders 14 and 15 which embrace the front and back face respectively of the back member 10. The other part of the separable fastener comprises a cap or head 16 having a threaded stem, not shown, which can be screwed into the tubular body part 13.

As clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front member 11 is preferably made of two layers, indicated at 17 and 18, which are stitched together as at 19 around their edges. In the upper layer there is formed an opening 20 and in the under layer there is formed a slit 21, which forms the entrance to the pocket 22 thus formed between the two layers. A sheet of celluloid 23, or equivalent transparent material, together with a card 24: bearing the name and address of the owner, is adapted to be inserted into the pocket through the entrance so that the name and address of the owner may be readily seen through the opening 20. The opposite diagonal corners of the back member, which are arranged at the sides of the front member 11, are designed to be folded over the front member, forming cover flaps. These corners are adapted to be detachably secured together over the face of the front member as by a separable fastener, the parts of which are indicated at 25 and 26, the separable fastener shown being merely in the form of a ball and socket fastener.

To apply keys to the key case, the upper member of the separable fastener 12 is removed by unscrewing the head 16, with its stem or shank, from the tubular member 13. The front member, or one end thereof, can 'then be removed and a key slipped on to the tubular body member 13 after which the front member and head 16, with its threaded shank, can be replaced Thekey so applied may rotate on the tubular member 13 and be caused to assume a position between the front and back members or to be moved into a position wherein the key is projecting from the key case.

In this operative position the key case can be subsequently closed and used as a handle for 15 the key.

. The advantagesof the present construction over prior constructions resides in the fact that the-front member 11 has both of its sides detached from the back member. In order to swing the key outwardly from between the members, the owner may thrust a finger laterally between the front and back members in either direction. The finger will engage the 'key and cause it to swing outwardly from be tween the members. Likewise .the key can be swung backward from the operative position "into the space between the front and back members in either direction. --This is a material improvement over key cases which have pockets in that it is very difiicult and awkward to extract a key from the pocket, especially if the owner happens to be wearing gloves.

Another advantage ofthe improved key case is as follows; It is possible to swing one of the keys into such a position thatit projects out of the end of the case and then to fasten the cover flaps together over the front member 11. When the flaps are thus fastened confine the remainder of the keys within the key case. This advantage is quite important where the owner of the key case mounts the key to an ignition switch of an automobile thereon. The ignition key can be swung out of the key case and the cover flaps fastened to confine the remainder of the keys. Consequently when the ignition key is inserted in the ignition lock the key case may be suspended therefrom and as all of the remainder of the keys will be confined in the key case there is no danger .of them scratching or marring the dash board. Y i

It will be appreciated that the improved struction andrequires aminimum amount of together over the front member llthey willthe back and front members, the space between the back and front members being open at both sides and-ends enabling keys to be pushed out from behind the front member in either direction, said back member having at its sides cover flaps adapted to be detachably connected over the face of the front member, and means for connecting the cover flaps together.

2. A key case comprising a back member, a frontmember, and means detachably connecting the ends of the front member to the back member and on which keys are adapted to be mounted, both sides and ends of the front member being spaced from the back member enabling the keys to be swung into or out of the space between the members in either direction, the back member providing cover flaps adapted to be detachably connected over the face of the front member, and means for detachably connecting the cover flaps together. 1

3. A key case comprising a back' member, a front member, means detachably connecting the ends of thefront member to the back member and on which keys are adapted to be mounted, both sides of the front member being spaced from the back member enabling the keys to be swung into or out of the space between the members in either direction, said front member beingformed of two layers secured together at their edges forming akey case is of novel, simple and durable conspace in the owners' pocket, it being but slightly smaller when in collapsed or folded position than the size of the keys placed therein. Furthermore the improved key case provides a means whereby the case and keys can be easily and quickly identified with the 7 owner by virtue of thepo'cket22 and the name the de- 

